Special Boat Unit ELEVEN, located at Mare Island, California
was established on 1 October 1978, and was charged with
maintaining the Navy's and U.S. Special Operations Command's
expertise In riverine warfare. Originally established as
Coastal River Division ELEVEN in June 1972, Special Boat
Unit ELEVEN is the proud successor to the Naval Inshore
Operations Training Center (NIOTC). From Its base at Mare
Island and throughout the sloughs and waterways of the Napa
and Sacramento River Deltas, NIOTC trained over 15,000
American and foreign students in riverine warfare between
1966 and 1972.
Read more here

Doc was one of
the Best of XI Boatguys. From the days of
Coastal River Squadron One and Coastal River
Divison-11 to Special Boat Unit XI.

Everybody knew Doc. I always enjoyed his company
and "pearls of wisdom"... Except for him giving
me shots. He always told me this would hurt me
allot worse than him. He wasn't kidding. He gave
lousy shots.

Aerial View of MARE ISLAND in 1979. Note
SBUXI and in top near Unit, two ASPBs on skids.

(added 10-26-2010)

Low Resolution

High Resolution

SBU-11 History - GMCS Clark
Gertner SWCC ret. When the U.S. Navy’s involvement in
Viet Nam ended, NIOTC was disestablished and Coastal River
Division-ELEVEN was commissioned to carry on the responsibility of
maintaining the U.S, Navy’s riverine warfare expertise. Over time,
the primary mission of the riverine and coastal boat commands
shifted toward Special Operations, taking over the role of the Boat
Support Units of the Viet Nam era. Therefore, on October 1, 1978,
CRD-XI was disestablished and Special Boat Unit ELEVEN was
commissioned. Read
more here

07-29-06Rob Gale, CDR RetHello, An old
friend GMCM Jim Gray contacted me about your site. It's a good one
and thank you for setting it up. Lack of time prevents me from
telling any stories but I do happen to have a digital copy of a Det
photo taken during an ORE about 91 or so. This Det was one of the
best I ever worked with or even knew of at that time. Good guys.
God, Country and Fast Boats

11-05-07Lawrence D. Albert HT2 USN
July1978-April 1984,
at SBU-XI known as Bert.
My Time at SBU-XI 78-81.
After graduating from HT "A" school I received ordersto Coastal River Division 11 Vallejo Calif. So after
a week home on leave, I flew into Oakland airport
then catching a shuttle to Vallejo to be dropped off
at the head of a pier at a guard tower.
more here photos too.

01-15-08Mike McWilliamsBM2 I was a BM2 at Coastal River Division
-11 from 1975 to Plank owner at SBUXI till 1980. I
was a crewman on an ASPB which we called ALPHA 6.
SBU-XI had two ALPHA Boats 5 and 6. Sometimes I felt
SBU-XI didn't really know what to do with the ASPBs
because it was primarily a PBR and MATC unit.
However we did participate in the war games up in
the sloughs, and we would be part of the aggressor
forces. We would try and sometimes succeed in
ambushing the PBRs. We also had the duty of
escorting and guarding the CCB-18 in the war games.
The one thing I remember was when the war games were
over in the sloughs the PBRs and ATCs sped home, and
we being faster than the slow CCB we would tow her
back to base because we were faster than the CCB.
When the Alpha boats went away I went to the PBRs
and spent most of my time on PBR-211 for about a
year.

As a civilian I was a
police officer and was transferred to San Diego in
1980 so I transferred to
Special Boat Unit -13 and rode the PB MKIIIs with
you Jim. I had to leave in 1982 as the SDPD was not
very supportive of the Reserves. Being a River Rat
was a highlight in my life and I remember the days
fondly. I don't have many photos but here are a few
and some info on the ALPHAs....Mike. Napa, CA

ASPB photo sheet

ASPB fact sheet

River Rats on the MATC pier

SBU-XI Alpha boat tied up to a yard
Tug near Alameda.

SBU-XI salty old River Rats

Added 03-20-09

PBR MkII on a weekend run

Riverine Assault 1980s

This is the lastest info on MINI ATC for export to
Columbia

Unit Photo (US Navy photograph)

CCB-18 Monitor. The last monitor left over fro the
old Vietnam days of when the unit was NIOTC.

MK78, Twin M-60 on MATC.

John "Doc" Ford, one of the "Greats" of SBU-XI.
Qualified 9533. SBU crew wore the black beret with pride.

SOC Rats deliver captured MIUW watch officer in his
under wear to his C.O.

Gotta love Rat humor.

OOOPs River Rat style

(Added 04-31-2010)TIM TARAMASSO a Veteran of Vietnam served on PCFs in
COSDIV15 in 1976 joined Coastal Division ELEVEN and
made the transition to Special Boat Unit XI. He
served on every type boat and every dept of the Unit
in his Career. In 1988 He deployed with SBU-13 on
PB MkIIIs during Op Earnst Will and in 1989 served
in SBUXI's PBR det in Bahrain and was also mobilized
during Desert Storm. He rose from GMG3 to retire as
GMCS (SWCC) in Special Boat Unit XI in 1997. Read his great letter from Bahrain
HERE.

Enjoy this Huge Collection of
photos from Tim Taramasso.

50 cal. gunshoot.

Gunshoot off Mini ATC.

Catching ZZZZZs on Mini.

Warren Baccicco
one of the Rat Twins. Warren and Brother Joe
were both EX Army SF.

You could see Ken McAllister a mile a way by his
pipe.

CPO Angel.

BMC Dunn.

GMC Taramsso.

Aggressors load out their gear in Conex box.

Aggressor with a RPG and has Mini ATC in his sights.

PBR Patrol as seen by Agressors view.

Down time in the Slough.

A
River Rat Det outside the armory.

Winter
in the Slough

PBRs nest in Slough.

Bow on PBRs note BFAs on twin 50s.

PBR Patrol group photo note PBR being lifted and
SEAFOX already on deck.

The SBUXI Road Warrior.

Aggressor Taramasso writing field notes.

Aggressor sleeps in back of his truck with his gear.

Aggressors in Base Camp note Mock RPG-7.

CPO Mess BMC Ron Saire in dress blues.

Aggressor PBL high and dry..got to watch the tides.

Mini ATC patroling the Sloughs.

John" Doc" Ford one of SBUXI's cartoonist and River
Rat and as a Aggressor he had a Dr. Evil Mindset on
ambushing Boats ...ask him about the mud man!!!!

Old Salt from XI.

PBR Rats.

Mini ATC Rats

Combat Craft Support Rats.

The Aggressor. all Cartoon drawn By CWO Ken
McAllister.

CWO Ken McAllister R.I.P.

working on twin 50s on PCF note old BFA on on 50 cal
and regular barrel on other.

Cleaning weapons at SBUXI Armory.

Tim T Doc Gilpan and Ken McAllester.

A good lookout.

Patrol Officer Cliff Murphy checking Paperwork.

1979 SBUXI went down to Panama and rode HPU Craft
note two MKI PCFs and a MKII PCF.